I'll be 21 when I graduate in May and so this is all very new to me. I don't really know what direction to go after I graduate. I currently have a job as a nursing assistant on a pediatric med-surg floor and they have assured me that I could more than likely work as an RN once I graduate. The problem is I really don't know if I want to work in peds. As much as I hate to say it, I feel like I should really go to an adult med-surg floor and get a solid foundation of experience. If it's one thing my instructors and professors have taught me it's that if you work at least 2 years on a med-surg floor you can work anywhere. So basically I have no clue what I want to do in nursing, sort of want to do peds and just need some advice from you wise "been there, done that" nurses Any advice would be much appreciated!!

A Carilion HR representative came and talked to us at our school and she told us that they start their new RN grads at $19/hr. That was in October 2010, of course she explained that after a while you get a raise (lol). Best of luck!

Hmmm first real paycheck...Well of course I'm going to treat myself to a massage and definitely a pedicure! Then I have to get some bills paid. OH! and I'll be in a new apartment with no furniture...so I'll be looking at some furniture stores hopefully I don't have kids, but I have a boyfriend who has been so patient with me through all of this and I'm definitely going to treat him with something (maybe a trip somewhere).

Wow whoever thought of this thread really did a good job, this is good motivation; thinking about the end

I think I am better at clinical, by far. And I love clinical! But when it comes to the tests...I'm horrible. I'm almost done with my second semester and am treading water to just pass. I study my butt off, and always try to do well in the semester so that there's not a lot of pressure on the final. I think with nursing school there is so much information to learn in a small window of time and you are busy with other assignments and clinical.

Maybe I'm young and naive, and I know I have no experience in healthcare (other than clinical), but I just think that's incredibly sad that all these people (nurses and doctors) who supposedly care about people and want to help let CEOs and insurance companies run the way they work. Ultimately you're there to help people get better and I understand that some patients talk your ear off just to do so, but even from a "business perspective" if you provide good thorough "customer service" the patients will come back and that will result in "more money"...right? I'm not trying to criticize anyone whose been in the field I'm learning what healthcare is truly all about, and it's unfortunate.

[/QUOTE] This was said by a medical student resident and her attending physician; not nurses. (Sorry don't know how to used the quote thing but I was trying to use something from your response Tyler, where you said my example shows how the real nursing environment is.)

I had clinical Saturday on Mother/Baby postpartum and I was in the nursery for most of the day. I overheard a resident talking to her attending about how she was more comfortable in the hospital setting, but in the clinic she couldn't get patients to stop talking and asking questions. Word for word this is what I heard her attending say to her, "You'll learn how to make them be quiet, you're there to make money not talk." :angthts:

Seriously?! I about flipped when I heard this because I for one have really crappy health insurance and I'm about to get my yearly check-up and I've been making a short list of things to ask my doctor while I'm there. As crappy as this economy I fully understand that patients are going to be asking more questions while at their appointment to get their money's worth. It just really upset and offended me to hear an attending say that. I was curious what other people's take on doctors were as nurses or nursing students.

Stop whining!!!!!!!!!! I just got out of clinical today and had to come home and post on this thread. The whole way home (I carpool with 3 other girls, since our hospital is 45 minutes away) all they talked about was how our clinical instructor is too old to be an instructor and how she's horrible and blady blady blaaaaa. We did oral presentations of a careplan we put together today and well one of the girls just did a horrible job...and then she gets mad when the clinical instructor tries to help her. Seriously people, there not out to upset us...they're out to make us damn good nurses, God knows that's what is needed. Not just half-ass nurses, but nurses who are smart, thorough, careful and caring.

LOL, you're definitely not the only one. I started nursing school in September as well, and I was doing pretty good last semester to make it to the gym 3-4 times a week....however I have yet to go to the gym probably since last semester. I have gained a significant amount of weight or anything. I do try to eat healthy and walk to and on campus as much as possible. I've already decided summer time will be about getting back in shape before the dreaded September Don't worry though you're not alone

Okay so like a lot of people I seriously struggle with the exams. I study for days before hand and doesn't seem to pay off. I'm passing the exams, but just barely. All my friends who have already been through nursing school say that eventually I will learn "how to study" for nursing exams. I don't understand what that means :/ I learn the material inside out and help fellow classmates with studying, yet I can't seem to do well on these tests.

Does anyone have any advice on "How to study?" Any information would be very much appreciated

On my resume I have a section for Clinicals. I put the hospital it was it, the time I was there and what uniti I was on. Even though your school is in PA and your going to Texas I would still put the names..they may call the hospitals to verify information or what not. You could also have a section for Work Related Experience if you have prior medical experience. Good luck!

1. To all you already medically trained individuals in my class...when I ask the professor a question, I am not asking YOU a question. I know you know everything and get all A's on your exams and blady-blady-blahhhh BUT I am paying the professor to teach me NOT you!

2. To 1 in particular 39 year old EMT mom in my class; we know you are older than us, we know you have more life experience, we know you have children, we know you have a bachelor's degree already, and we know you're an EMT. HOWEVER, stop preaching to us about being immature when you are the one complaining about professors and them being too hard and the workload. And for gosh sake, if you want to be a nurse you need to have a little more compassion...this fellow classmate says that diabetes is 100% preventable and she has no sympathy for those with it and sees no point in teaching patients about it because "they're not gonna listen." Phew, had to vent sorry.

3. Yea it's hard, but the things in life that are hard are usually worth it; so be quiet, manage your time wisely, and get your work done.